MsPerfectionist

sunnykerr

Thanks for the new thread.

I got a tea delivery today, about which I'm relieved because most of that was Christmas presents.

MsPerfectionist

it's always exciting to receive a delivery. A friend of mine is surprising me with tea. i should track the package closely

sunnykerr

It depends on whether you want to be at least a little bit surprised when it arrives.

We weren't supposed to do Christmas presents between adults. That was the deal we struck last year. So my brother and I made a deal to buy each other little teeny tiny presents. Then my mother went and started shopping. Then my dad decided he's buying us Christmas presents.

So I was already planning on getting tea for my brother and cousin. My dad's birthday is December 26 and then I had to think of Christmas presents as well. So tea will feature more heavily then it already was, because the dude is not buy-able.

My mother... I dunno. Maybe I'll find something, but I'm okay if I don't. The rest of us have Celtic roots; she doesn't.

MsPerfectionist

the package arrived, i haven't opened it yet. the box is bigger than i thought.

aww gifts between adults could be quite challenging.

sunnykerr

How would you rate David's Tea compared to the "real" English/Irish thing? I mean, I realize flavoured teas aren't a thing in the UK (or are considered a subspecies only good for troglodytes), but otherwise... I had a French friend who really turned up her nose at any David's tea product. Even when they introduced matchas, which is the only real tea so far as she was concerned.

Obviously, I know enough to know that one French friend does not represent the whole of France or Europe, but it has made me wonder how tea tastes compare.

MsPerfectionist

There are few things to look into: quality of the tea, the blend, country of origin

British and irish are used to tea being black tea which people often put milk in. Say u go ask for "a tea" in any restaurant, unless u specify ur choice, u'll get breakfast tea (black tea). the irish like their tea very weak , they put in the teabag, stir for like a minute and then remove it.

I used to buy DT's irish breakfast tea until i moved to Ireland and now i only want Bewley's (irish brand, we actually have!) in the morning. I even bought Twinning. it's not the same. the blend is different. But for a common british/irish, they only want breakfast tea and drink it at anytime

I like DT for their flavored tea and their tea is ok. But I go to Camelia Sinensis if i want plain and quality tea. I do a little of both.

sunnykerr

Camelia Sinensis is, without a doubt, the superior source for quality, but it's a bit too dear for my blood. And, of course, there's the matter of ease of access with David's Tea since they deliver... Or maybe that's just familiarity...

Weak tea, huh? Don't get me wrong, tea can be too bitter when it's steeped too long or too hot, but why even bother when it's weak? To each their own, I guess.

I used to ask for tea in restaurants till I started to realized most served fecking Salada. Now, I ask. And, of course, I now end up getting mint tea, which is not really tea at all.

I like an earl grey. But, for whatever reason, I've only recently started putting milk in some black teas. I'm probably a stain on my grandfather's Celtic heritage.

MsPerfectionist

DT is more accessible indeed and back when there were more stores, u can always sample tea there.

yep! back in Ireland, my employer offered tea at work. the same teabag that people like...i have to put in 2 teabags in my mug (about 1 cup and a half) to leave them in forever (about an hour) for it to taste something.

Salada...my former mother-in-law's favourite.

i like Earl grey! i've been making London Fog latte during weekends with my milk frother

sunnykerr

I haven't had a latte in forever.

I'm somewhat lactose intolerant... (I mean, I'm probably not actually lactose intolerant, but I am asthmatic, so dairy causes some unpleasant reactions in my respitory system, so it's usually faster to just say I'm lactose intolerant.) So I don't usually have milk on hand. At work, because of coffee drinkers, they have the usual little containers of milk and cream that I use to make ad hoc lattes. It's just not something I've done at home.

I don't understand the point of tea that is that weak. I mean, to each their own, obviously. And, I suppose, people who eat spicy would feel the same way about my complete inability to handle any siginificant amount of spice in food. But if it's just gonna taste like shades of water, why bother?

MsPerfectionist

ohh. u can try the different dairy alternatives out there. they make great lattes as well.

the irish are funny like that. i even saw them have weak tea at a stadium during half-time haha as i was enjoying my Guinness

sunnykerr

I'm allergic to nuts and tree nuts, right? That includes soy. So, milk substitutees... At some point, I'll try oat milk, but I'm not looking forward to it. It just seems odd to me. What do I know?

Tea at a stadium... Well, that's the "Irish are hard drinkers" stereotype destroyed, isn't it?

I'm guessing the food on offer wasn't hotdogs and fries either, huh?

I saw a picture yesterday of a French woman serving tea to an English soldier during World War II and noticed that she was serving him Morroccan style (in terms of the cup). I think we all have tea and food traditions and influences. It's fascinating.

MsPerfectionist

Oat milk is quite neutral and is great in latte as well.

i think they had burgers. i still remember the curry fries. and the cheese-onion chips.

was it in a Moroccan tea glass?

sunnykerr

So that's the image I saw. I did think that was a tea glass, or something aspiring to be a tea glass. It just doesn't look like a tea cup to me, but what do I know? In the middle of war, I suppose you'd learn to make do.

MsPerfectionist

a great photograph